Troy Donahue
Known for: Acting
Troy Donahue (born Merle Johnson Jr., January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American film and television actor and singer. He was a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and 1960s. His father was Merle Johnson, the manager of the motion-picture department of General Motors. His mother, Edith Johnson, was a retired stage actress. Donahue attended a New York military academy, where he met Francis Ford Coppola. When Donahue was 18, he moved to New York and got a job as a messenger in a film company founded by his father. He was fired, he says, because he was too young to join the union. He attended Columbia University and studied journalism. He trained briefly with Ezra Stone, and then moved to Hollywood. The big break of Donahue's career came when he was cast opposite Sandra Dee in A Summer Place, made by Warner Bros. in 1959. The director was Delmer Daves. Warner signed him to a long-term contract. They put him to work guest-starring in episodes of their Western TV series, such as Colt .45 (1959), Maverick (1959), Sugarfoot (1959), The Alaskans (1960), and Lawman (1960). In 1968, Donahue signed a long-term contract with Universal Studios for films and TV. This lasted a year and saw him get four roles: guest shots on Ironside (1968), The Name of the Game (1968), and The Virginian (1969), and an appearance in the TV movie The Lonely Profession (1969). Donahue declared bankruptcy in 1968 and eventually lost his home. In 1969, Donahue moved from Los Angeles to New York City. By this time, Donahue's drug addiction and alcoholism had ruined him financially. In May 1982, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous, which he credited for helping him achieve and maintain sobriety. Donahue continued to act in films throughout the 1980s and into the late 1990s. Donahue's final film role was in the 2000 comedy film The Boys Behind the Desk, directed by Sally Kirkland. On August 30, 2001, Donahue suffered a heart attack and was admitted to Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. He died three days later, on September 2, at the age of 65.
Filmography
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
The Love Boat
Mr. Clark
1977
Series
Ironside
Father Dugan
1967
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee
1944
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Winner
1944
Series
Maverick
Dan Jamison
1957
Film
The Godfather Part II
Merle Johnson
1974
Series
Fantasy Island
Jack Terry
1978
Series
Rawhide
Buzz Travis
1959
Series
Hawaiian Eye
1959
Series
Laverne & Shirley
1976
Series
Monsters
Dr. Thomas Becker
1988
Series
The Bob Hope Show
Self
1950
Series
The Name of the Game
Norman Hoak
1968
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Series
Vega$
1978
Series
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Series
77 Sunset Strip
Sandy Winfield II
1958
Series
Surfside 6
Sandy Winfield II
1960
Series
Matt Houston
1982
Series
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
1977
Series
Sugarfoot
Ken Savage
1957
Series
The Patty Duke Show
1963
Series
Bronco
1958
Series
Ellery Queen
Gilbert Mallory
1975
Series
CHiPs
1977
Series
Bourbon Street Beat
Man on Phone (voice)
1959
Series
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
Merle Johnson
1977
Film
A Summer Place
Johnny Hunter
1959
Series
The Alaskans
1959
Film
Cry-Baby
Hatchet's Father
1990
Film
Imitation of Life
Frankie
1959
Series
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
1978
Film
Grandview, U.S.A.
Donny Vinton
1984
Film
Double Trouble
Leonard
1992
Film
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
Merle Johnson
1992
Film
A Distant Trumpet
2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard
1964
Film
Rome Adventure
Don Porter
1962
Film
The Tarnished Angels
Frank Burnham
1957
Film
The Chilling
Dr. Miller
1989
Film
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
Merle Johnson
2016
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
The Monolith Monsters
Hank Jackson
1957
Film
Bimbo Movie Bash
Dr. Ackerman (archive footage)
1997
Film
Parrish
Parrish McLean
1961
Film
Deadly Prey
Don Michaelson
1987
Film
The Perfect Furlough
Sergeant Nickles
1958
Film
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
Gaylord Sullivan
1967
Series
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
Rob Kamen
1991
Film
Susan Slade
Hoyt Brecker
1961
Film
Seizure
Mark Frost
1974
Film
Man of a Thousand Faces
Assistant Director (uncredited)
1957
Film
Cockfighter
Randall Mansfield
1974
Film
Mondo Hollywood
1967
Film
The Crowded Sky
McVey
1960
Film
Monster on the Campus
Jimmy Flanders
1958
Film
Low Blow
John Templeton
1986
Film
Dr. Alien
Dr. Ackerman
1989
Film
Merchants of Venus
FBI Agent
1998
Film
The Pamela Principle
Troy
1992
Film
The Drifting Classroom
Taggart
1987
Film
Hollywood Cop
Lt Maxwell
1987
Film
Cyclone
Bob Jenkins
1987
Film
This Happy Feeling
Tony Manza
1958
Film
South Seas
Steve
1974
Film
Man Afraid
Reporter (uncredited)
1957
Film
Voice in the Mirror
Paul Cunningham
1958
Film
Terminal Force
Slim
1989
Film
Palm Springs Weekend
Jim Munroe
1963
Film
Come Spy with Me
Jill Parsons
1967
Film
Shock 'Em Dead
Record Exec
1991
Film
Wild Heritage
Jesse Bascomb
1958
Film
Malibu
Clint Redman
1983
Film
American Rampage
Police Psychiatrist
1989
Film
Legion
Flemming
1998
Film
Assault of the Party Nerds
Sid Witherspoon
1989
Film
Click: The Calendar Girl Killer
Alan
1990
Film
Summer Love
Sax Lewis
1958
Film
Split Second to an Epitaph
Father Dugan
1968
Film
Outrage
Daniel
1977
Film
The Phantom Gunslinger
Bill
1970
Film
Hard Rock Nightmare
Uncle Gary
1988
Film
Omega Cop
Slim
1990
Film
Bad Blood
Jack Barnes
1988
Film
Live Fast, Die Young
Artie Sanders / Artie Smith
1958
Film
The Lonely Profession
Julian Thatcher
1969
Film
Deadly Spygames
Python
1989
Film
My Blood Runs Cold
Ben Gunther
1965
Film
The Platinum Triangle
Harold Farber
1989
Film
Lover, Come Back to Me
1983
Film
Sweet Savior
Moon
1971
Film
Fight to Win
Rosenberg
1987
The Boys Behind the Desk
2000
Film
Hawkeye
Mayor
1988
Film
The Legend of Frank Woods
Sheriff John Baxom
1977
Tin Man
Lester
1983
Film
Sounds of Silence
Larry Haughton
1989
Film
Blood Nasty
Barry Hefna
1989
Film
Hot Times at Montclair High
Mr. Nichols
1989
Film
Showdown
Police Captain
1993
Film
Nudity Required
Jack
1990
Film
Sexpot
Phillip
1990
Film
Deadly Diamonds
Matt Plimpton
1991